Japan’s imports grew by 18.9% year-on-year to JPY 11,508.8 billion in September 2026, falling short of market expectations for a 19.6% gain and slowing from an almost four-year high of 28% rise in August. While the latest result marked the softest growth since April, as crude oil arrivals declined due to delayed deliveries to Japan following tanker rerouting, purchases of mineral fuels remained strong in value, rising 39.4% year-on-year, led by a 51.1% jump in crude petroleum amid elevated oil prices driven by Middle East tensions. Imports of machinery also rose 27.0%, followed by electrical machinery (23.4%), manufactured goods (17.1%), and chemicals (7.1%). Meanwhile, transport equipment imports increased by a more modest 2.2%, while foodstuff purchases rose 6.7%. By region, imports rose from China (16.4%), Taiwan (54.9%), South Korea (40.7%), the US (44.8%), ASEAN (16.0%), and Australia (31.1%), while purchases from the EU edged down 0.1% and those from the Middle East fell 7%. source: Ministry of Finance, Japan

Imports YoY in Japan decreased to 18.90 percent in September from 28 percent in August of 2026. Imports YoY in Japan averaged 8.25 percent from 1964 until 2026, reaching an all time high of 106.50 percent in February of 1974 and a record low of -42.70 percent in February of 2009. This page includes a chart with historical data for Japan Imports YoY. Japan Imports YoY - data, historical chart, forecasts and calendar of releases - was last updated on October of 2026.



Calendar GMT Reference Actual Previous Consensus TEForecast
2026-09-15 11:50 PM
Imports YoY
Aug 28% 27.9% 26.3%
2026-10-20 11:50 PM
Imports YoY
Sep 18.9% 28% 19.6%
2026-11-17 11:50 PM
Imports YoY
Oct 18.9%


Related Last Previous Unit Reference
Balance of Trade -536.60 -1111.90 JPY Billion Sep 2026
Capital Flows 22124.00 17440.00 JPY Hundred Million Aug 2026
Current Account 4062.00 2988.90 JPY Billion Aug 2026
Exports 10972.25 10043.27 JPY Billion Sep 2026
Exports YoY 16.70 19.30 percent Sep 2026
External Debt 736125.87 761846.57 JPY Billion Jun 2026
Net Foreign Direct Investment -10164.00 26213.00 JPY Hundred Million Aug 2026
Imports 11508.81 11153.98 JPY Billion Sep 2026
Imports YoY 18.90 28.00 percent Sep 2026


Japan Imports YoY
Japan's main imports are mineral fuels (22 percent of total imports), with petroleum accounting for 10 percent and LNG for 6 percent; electrical machinery (15 percent) on the back of telephony, telegraphy and semiconductors; chemicals (10 percent) due to medical products and organic chemicals; machinery (10 percent) in particular computers and units; foodstuff (9 percent) such as fish and fish preparations and meat and meat preparations; manufactured goods (9 percent) on nonferrous metals; and raw materials (6 percent) mainly ore of nonferrous and iron ore and concentrates. Japan's main import partners were China (23 percent), the EU (12 percent) in particular Germany (3 percent), the US (11 percent), Australia (6 percent), South Korea (4 percent), Saudi Arabia (4 percent), Taiwan (4 percent), the UAE (4 percent) and Thailand (4 percent).
Actual Previous Highest Lowest Dates Unit Frequency
18.90 28.00 106.50 -42.70 1964 - 2026 percent Monthly
NSA

News Stream
Japan Import Growth Slows to 5-Month Low
Japan’s imports grew by 18.9% year-on-year to JPY 11,508.8 billion in September 2026, falling short of market expectations for a 19.6% gain and slowing from an almost four-year high of 28% rise in August. While the latest result marked the softest growth since April, as crude oil arrivals declined due to delayed deliveries to Japan following tanker rerouting, purchases of mineral fuels remained strong in value, rising 39.4% year-on-year, led by a 51.1% jump in crude petroleum amid elevated oil prices driven by Middle East tensions. Imports of machinery also rose 27.0%, followed by electrical machinery (23.4%), manufactured goods (17.1%), and chemicals (7.1%). Meanwhile, transport equipment imports increased by a more modest 2.2%, while foodstuff purchases rose 6.7%. By region, imports rose from China (16.4%), Taiwan (54.9%), South Korea (40.7%), the US (44.8%), ASEAN (16.0%), and Australia (31.1%), while purchases from the EU edged down 0.1% and those from the Middle East fell 7%.
2026-10-20
Japan Import Growth at Near 4-Year High
Japan's imports surged 28% year-on-year to JPY 11,153.9 billion in August 2026, following a marginally revised 27.9% rise in July, beating market estimates of 26.3% and posting the strongest growth since November 2022. The sharp rise reflected solid domestic demand, amid the government's late-2025 stimulus, as well as higher crude oil prices. Imports rose from China (22.5%), Hong Kong (31.5%), Taiwan (62.4%), South Korea (31.4%), the U.S. (55.2%), ASEAN (26.9%), and the EU (20.4%), while purchases fell from the Middle East (-4.2%). By category, imports increased across all major components, led by electrical machinery (40.8%) amid strong semiconductor demand, followed by other goods (19.1%), machinery (35.1%), chemicals (28.7%), manufactured goods (31.8%), and transport equipment (3.8%). Crude oil imports jumped 58.7% as Japan diversified energy buying away from the Strait of Hormuz amid ongoing tensions.
2026-09-16
Japan Imports Hit Record High
Japan’s imports surged 27.8% year-on-year to a fresh record of JPY 12,146.3 billion in July 2026, accelerating from a 25.4% increase in June, exceeding market expectations of 26.5% and marking the strongest growth since November 2022. The increase was supported by resilient domestic demand, boosted by the government’s late-2025 stimulus measures, as well as higher crude oil prices. Imports rose from China (26.2%), Hong Kong (10.6%), Taiwan (65.9%), South Korea (28.8%), the U.S. (58.0%), ASEAN (30.9%) and the Middle East (11.9%), while purchases from the EU declined (-2.3%). By category, imports increased across all major components, led by electrical machinery (41.3%) amid strong semiconductor demand, followed by manufactured goods (31.2%), machinery (22.4%), chemicals (19.7%), transport equipment (13.5%) and other goods (5.1%). Meanwhile, crude oil imports soared 87.8% as Japan sought alternative supply routes to bypass the Strait of Hormuz amid ongoing Middle East tensions.
2026-08-20


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